42:36. Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me.
42:37. And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons, if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee.
42:38. But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to hell.
To hell... That is, to that place, where the souls then remained, as above, chapter 37. ver. 35.
Genesis Chapter 43
The sons of Jacob go again into Egypt with Benjamin. They are entertained by Joseph.
43:1. In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.
43:2. And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again, and buy us a little food.
43:3. Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.
43:4. If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.
43:5. But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.
43:6. Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery, in that you told him you had also another brother.
43:7. But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?
43:8. And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.
43:9. I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.
43:10. If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.
43:11. Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.
Balm... Literally rosin, resinae; but here by that name is meant balm.
43:12. And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.
43:13. And take also your brother, and go to the man.
43:14. And may my almighty God make him favourable to you: and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.
43:15. So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
43:16. And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.
43:17. He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.
43:18. And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.
43:19. Wherefore, going up to the steward of the house, at the door,
43:20. They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us. We came down once before to buy food:
43:21. And when we had bought, and were come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight.
43:22. And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.
43:23. But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them.
43:24. And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.
43:25. But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.
43:26. Then Joseph came in to his house, and they offered him the presents, holding them in their hands; and they bowed down with their face to the ground.
43:27. But he courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living?
43:28. And they answered: Thy servant our father, is in health; he is yet living. And bowing themselves, they made obeisance to him.
43:29. And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin, his brother by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.
43:30. And he made haste, because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber, he wept.
43:31. And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.
43:32. And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane):
43:33. They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much;
43:34. Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Genesis Chapter 44
Joseph's contrivance to stop his brethren. The humble supplication of Juda.
44:1. And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.
44:2. And in the mouth of the younger's sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.
44:3. And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.
44:4. And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way: Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?
44:5. The cup which you have stolen, is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.
44:6. He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.
44:7. And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?
44:8. The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord's house, gold or silver?
44:9. With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.
44:10. And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.
44:11. Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.
44:12. Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest, and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.
44:13. Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.
44:14. And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph (for he was not yet gone out of the place) and they all together fell down before him on the ground.
44:15. And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
The science of divining... He speaks of himself according to what he was esteemed in that kingdom. And indeed, he being truly a prophet, knew more without comparison than any of the Egyptian sorcerers.
44:16. And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.
44:17. Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.
44:18. Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art.
44:19. My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother.
44:20. And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead; and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.
44:21. And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.
44:22. We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.
44:23. And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.
44:24. Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.
44:25. And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.
44:26. And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man's face.
44:27. Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.
44:28. One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him; and hitherto he appeareth not.
44:29. If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow unto hell.
44:30. Therefore, if I shall go to thy servant, our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him,)
44:31. And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his grey hairs with sorrow unto hell.
His gray hairs... That is, his person, now far advanced in years.-With sorrow unto hell... The Hebrew word for hell is here sheol, the Greek hades: it is not taken for the hell of the damned; but for that place of souls below where the servants of God were kept before the coming of Christ. Which place, both in the Scripture and in the creed, is named hell.
44:32. Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.
44:33. Therefore I, thy servant, will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.
44:34. For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.
Genesis Chapter 45
Joseph maketh himself known to his brethren: and sendeth for his father.
45:1. Joseph could no longer refrain himself before many that stood by: whereupon he commanded that all should go out, and no stranger be present at their knowing one another.
45:2. And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians, and all the house of Pharao heard.
45:3. And he said to his brethren: I am Joseph: Is my father yet living? His brethren could not answer him, being struck with exceeding great fear.
45:4. And he said mildly to them: Come nearer to me. And when they were come near him, he said: I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
45:5. Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation.
45:6. For it is two years since the famine began to be upon the land, and five years more remain, wherein there can be neither ploughing nor reaping.
45:7. And God sent me before, that you may be preserved upon the earth, and may have food to live.
45:8. Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of God: who hath made me as it were a father to Pharao, and lord of his whole house, and governor in all the land of Egypt.
45:9. Make haste, and go ye up to my father, and say to him: Thus saith thy son Joseph: God hath made me lord of the whole land of Egypt; come down to me, linger not.
45:10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Gessen: and thou shalt be near me, thou and thy sons, and thy sons' sons, thy sheep, and thy herds, and all things that thou hast.
45:11. And there I will feed thee, (for there are yet five years of famine remaining) lest both thou perish, and thy house, and all things that thou hast.
45:12. Behold, your eyes, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, see that it is my mouth that speaketh to you.
45:13. You shall tell my father of all my glory, and all things that you have seen in Egypt: make haste and bring him to me.
45:14. And falling upon the neck of his brother Benjamin, he embraced him and wept: and Benjamin in like manner wept also on his neck.
45:15. And Joseph kissed all his brethren, and wept upon every one of them: after which they were emboldened to speak to him.
45:16. And it was heard, and the fame was spread abroad in the king's court: The brethren of Joseph are come; and Pharao with all his family was glad.
45:17. And he spoke to Joseph that he should give orders to his brethren, saying: Load your beasts, and go into the land of Chanaan,
45:18. And bring away from thence your father and kindred, and come to me; and I will give you all the good things of Egypt, that you may eat the marrow of the land.
45:19. Give orders also that they take wagons out of the land of Egypt, for the carriage of their children and their wives; and say: Take up your father, and make haste to come with all speed:
45:20. And leave nothing of your household stuff; for all the riches of Egypt shall be yours.
45:21. And the sons of Israel did as they were bid. And Joseph gave them wagons according to Pharao's commandment: and provisions for the way.
45:22. He ordered also to be brought out for every one of them two robes: but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, with five robes of the best:
45:23. Sending to his father as much money and raiment; adding besides, ten he asses, to carry off all the riches of Egypt, and as many she asses, carrying wheat and bread for the journey.
45:24. So he sent away his brethren, and at their departing said to them: Be not angry in the way.
45:25. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Chanaan, to their father Jacob.
45:26. And they told him, saying: Joseph, thy son, is living; and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. Which when Jacob heard, he awaked as it were out of a deep sleep, yet did not believe them.
45:27. They, on the other side, told the whole order of the thing. And when he saw the wagons, and all that he had sent, his spirit revived,
45:28. And he said: It is enough for me if Joseph, my son, be yet living: I will go and see him before I die.
Genesis Chapter 46
Israel, waranted by a vision from God, goeth down into Egypt with all his family.
46:1. And Israel taking his journey, with all that he had, came to the well of the oath, and killing victims there to the God of his father Isaac,
The well of the oath... Bersabee.
46:2. He heard him, by a vision in the night, calling him, and saying to him: Jacob, Jacob. And he answered him: Lo, here I am.
46:3. God said to him: I am the most mighty God of thy father; fear not, go down into Egypt, for I will make a great nation of thee there.
46:4. I will go down with thee thither, and will bring thee back again from thence: Joseph also shall put his hands upon thy eyes.
46:5. And Jacob rose up from the well of the oath: and his sons took him up, with their children and wives in the wagons, which Pharao had sent to carry the old man,
46:6. And all that he had in the land of Chanaan: and he came into Egypt with all his seed;
46:7. His sons, and grandsons, daughters, and all his offspring together.
46:8. And these are the names of the children of Israel, that entered into Egypt, he and his children. His firstborn Ruben,
46:9. The sons of Ruben: Henoch and Phallu, and Hesron and Charmi.
46:10. The sons of Simeon: Jamuel and Jamin and Ahod, and Jachin and Sohar, and Saul, the son of a woman of Chanaan.
46:11. The sons of Levi: Gerson and Caath, and Merari.
46:12. The sons of Juda: Her and Onan, and Sela, and Phares and Zara. And Her and Onan died in the land of Chanaan. And sons were born to Phares: Hesron and Hamul.
46:13. The sons of Issachar: Thola and Phua, and Job and Semron.
46:14. The sons of Zabulon: Sared, and Elon, and Jahelel.
46:15. These are the sons of Lia, whom she bore in Mesopotamia of Syria, with Dina, his daughter. All the souls of her sons and daughters, thirty-three.
46:16. The sons of Gad: Sephion and Haggi, and Suni and Esebon, and Heri and Arodi, and Areli.
46:17. The sons of Aser: Jamne and Jesua, and Jessuri and Beria, and Sara their sister. The sons of Beria: Heber and Melchiel.
46:18. These are the sons of Zelpha, whom Laban gave to Lia, his daughter. And these she bore to Jacob, sixteen souls.
46:19. The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
46:20. And sons were born to Joseph, in the land of Egypt, whom Aseneth, the daughter of Putiphare, priest of Heliopolis, bore him: Manasses and Ephraim.
46:21. The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Bechor, and Asbel and Gera, and Naaman and Echi, and Ross and Mophim, and Ophim and Ared.
46:22. These are the sons of Rachel, whom she bore to Jacob: all the souls, fourteen.
46:23. The sons of Dan: Husim.
46:24. The sons of Nephthali: Jaziel and Guni, and Jeser and Sallem.
46:25. These are the sons of Bala, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter: and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls, seven.
46:26. All the souls that went with Jacob into Egypt, and that came out of his thigh, besides his sons' wives, sixty-six.
46:27. And the sons of Joseph, that were born to him in the land of Egypt, two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, that entered into Egypt, were seventy.
46:28. And he sent Juda before him to Joseph, to tell him; and that he should meet him in Gessen.
46:29. And when he was come thither, Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet his father in the same place: and seeing him, he fell upon his neck, and embracing him, wept.
46:30. And the father said to Joseph: Now shall I die with joy, becuase I have seen thy face, and leave thee alive.
46:31. And Joseph said to his brethren, and to all his father's house: I will go up, and will tell Pharao, and will say to him: My brethren, and my father's house, that were in the land of Chanaan, are come to me:
46:32. And the men are shepherds, and their occupation is to feed cattle; their flocks, and herds, and all they have, they have brought with them.
46:33. And when he shall call you, and shall say: What is your occupation?
46:34. You shall answer: We, thy servants, are shepherds, from our infancy until now, both we and our fathers. And this you shall say, that you may dwell in the land of Gessen, because the Egyptians have all shepherds in abomination.
Genesis Chapter 47
Jacob and his sons are presented before Pharao: he giveth them the land of Gessen. The famine forceth the Egyptians to sell all their possessions to the king.
47:1. Then Joseph went in and told Pharao, saying: My father and brethren, their sheep and their herds, and all that they possess, are come out of the land of Chanaan: and behold they stay in the land of Gessen.
47:2. Five men also, the last of his brethren, he presented before the king:
The last...Extremos. Some interpret this word of the chiefest, and most rightly: but Joseph seems rather to have chosen out such as had the meanest appearance, that Pharao might not think of employing them at court, with danger of their morals and religion.
47:3. And he asked them: What is your occupation? They answered: We, thy servants, are shepherds, both we and our fathers.
47:4. We are come to sojourn in thy land, because there is no grass for the flocks of thy servants, the famine being very grievous in the land of Chanaan: and we pray thee to give orders that we thy servants may be in the land of Gessen.
47:5. The king therefore said to Joseph: Thy father and thy brethren are come to thee.
47:6. The land of Egypt is before thee: and make them dwell in the best place, and give them the land of Gessen. And if thou knowest that there are industrious men among them, make them rulers over my cattle.
47:7. After this Joseph brought in his father to the king, and presented him before him: and he blessed him.
47:8. And being asked by him: How many are the days of the years of thy life?
47:9. He answered: The days of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years, few, and evil, and they are not come up to the days of the pilgrimage of my fathers.
47:10. And blessing the king, he went out.
47:11. But Joseph gave a possession to his father and his brethren in Egypt, in the best place of the land, in Ramesses, as Pharao had commanded.
47:12. And he nourished them, and all his father's house, allowing food to every one.
47:13. For in the whole world there was want of bread, and a famine had oppressed the land, more especially of Egypt and Chanaan;
47:14. Out of which he gathered up all the money for the corn which they bought, and brought it in to the king's treasure.
47:15. And when the buyers wanted money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: Give us bread: why should we die in thy presence, having now no money?
47:16. And he answered them: Bring me your cattle, and for them I will give you food, if you have no money.
47:17. And when they had brought them, he gave them food in exchange for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and asses: and he maintained them that year for the exchange of their cattle.
47:18. And they came the second year, and said to him: We will not hide from our lord, how that our money is spent, and our cattle also are gone: neither art thou ignorant that we have nothing now left but our bodies and our lands.
47:19. Why therefore shall we die before thy eyes? we will be thine, both we and our lands: buy us to be the king's servants, and give us seed, lest for want of tillers the land be turned into a wilderness.
47:20. So Joesph bought all the land of Egypt, every man selling his possessions, because of the greatness of the famine. And he brought it into Pharao's hands:
47:21. And all its people from one end of the borders of Egypt, even to the other end thereof,
47:22. Except the land of the priests, which had been given them by the king: to whom also a certain allowance of food was given out of the public stores, and therefore they were not forced to sell their possessions.
47:23. Then Joseph said to the people: Behold, as you see, both you and your lands belong to Pharao; take seed and sow the fields,
47:24. That you may have corn. The fifth part you shall give to the king; the other four you shall have for seed, and for food for your families and children.
47:25. And they answered: our life is in thy hand; only let my lord look favourably upon us, and we will gladly serve the king.
47:26. From that time unto this day, in the whole land of Egypt, the fifth part is paid to the kings, and it is become as a law, except the land of the priests, which was free from this covenant.
47:27. So Israel dwelt in Egypt, that is, in the land of Gessen, and possessed it; and grew, and was multiplied exceedingly.
47:28. And he lived in it seventeen years: and all the days of his life came to a hundred and forty-seven years.
47:29. And when he saw that the day of his death drew nigh, he called his son Joseph, and said to him: If I have found favour in thy sight, put thy hand under my thigh; and thou shalt shew me this kindness and truth, not to bury me in Egypt.
47:30. But I will sleep with my fathers, and thou shalt take me away out of this land, and bury me in the burying place of my ancestors. And Joseph answered him: I will do what thou hast commanded.
47:31. And he said: Swear then to me. And as he was swearing, Israel adored God, turning to the bed's head.
To the bed's head... St. Paul, Heb. 11.21, following the Greek translation of the Septuagint, reads adored the top of his rod. Where note, that the same word in the Hebrew, according to the different pointing of it, signifies both a bed and a rod. And to verify both these sentences, we must understand that Jacob leaning on Joseph's rod adored, turning towards the head of his bed: which adoration, inasmuch as it was referred to God, was an absolute and sovereign worship: but inasmuch as it was referred to the rod of Joseph, as a figure of the sceptre, that is, of the royal dignity of Christ, was only an inferior and relative honour.
Genesis Chapter 48
Joseph visiteth his father in his sickness, who adopteth his two sons Manasses and Ephraim, and blesseth them, preferring the younger before the elder.
48:1. After these things, it was told Joseph that his father was sick; and he set out to go to him, taking his two sons Manasses and Ephraim.
48:2. And it was told the old man: Behold thy son Joseph cometh to thee. And being strengthened, he sat on his bed.
48:3. And when Joseph was come in to him, he said: God almighty apppeared to me at Luza, which is in the land of Chanaan, and he blessed me,
48:4. And said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
48:5. So thy two sons, who were born to thee in the land of Egypt before I came hither to thee, shall be mine: Ephraim and Manasses shall be reputed to me as Ruben and Simeon.
48:6. But the rest whom thou shalt have after them, shall be thine, and shall be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions.
48:7. For, when I came out of Mesopotamia, Rachel died from me in the land of Chanaan in the very journey, and it was spring time: and I was going to Ephrata, and I buried her near the way of Ephrata, which by another name is called Bethlehem.
48:8. Then seeing his sons, he said to him: Who are these?
48:9. He answered: They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said: Bring them to me, that I may bless them.
48:10. For Israel's eyes were dim by reason of his great age, and he could not see clearly. And when they were brought to him, he kissed and embraced them,
48:11. And said to his son: I am not deprived of seeing thee; moreover God hath shewn me thy seed.
48:12. And when Joseph had taken them from his father's lap, he bowed down with his face to the ground.
48:13. And he set Ephraim on his right hand, that is, towards the left hand of Israel; but Manasses on his left hand, to wit, towards his father's right hand, and brought them near to him.
48:14. But he, stretching forth his right hand, put it upon the head of Ephraim, the younger brother; and the left upon the head of Manasses, who was the elder, changing his hands.
48:15. And Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, and said: God, in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, God that feedeth me from my youth until this day:
48:16. The angel that delivereth me from all evils, bless these boys: and let my name be called upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.
48:17. And Joseph seeing that his father had put his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, was much displeased: and taking his father's hand, he tried to lift it from Ephraim's head, and to remove it to the head of Manasses.
48:18. And he said to his father: It should not be so, my father; for this is the firstborn, put thy right hand upon his head.
48:19. But he refusing, said: I know, my son, I know: and this also shall become a people, and shall be multiplied; but his younger brother shall be greater than he; and his seed shall grow into nations.
48:20. And he blessed them at that time, saying: In thee shall Israel be blessed, and it shall be said: God do to thee as to Ephraim, and as to Manasses. And he set Ephraim before Manasses.
48:21. And he said to Joseph, his son: Behold I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you back into the land of your fathers.
48:22. I give thee a portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorrhite with my sword and bow.
Genesis Chapter 49
Jacob's prophetical blessings of his twelve sons: his death.
49:1. And Jacob called his sons, and said to them: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you the things that shall befall you in the last days.
49:2. Gather yourselves together, and hear, O ye sons of Jacob, hearken to Israel, your father:
49:3. Ruben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my sorrow; excelling in gifts, greater in command.
My strength, etc... He calls him his strength, as being born whilst his father was in his full strength and vigour: he calls him the beginning of his sorrow, because cares and sorrows usually come on with the birth of children. Excelling in gifts, etc., because the firstborn had a title to a double portion, and to have the command over his brethren, which Ruben forfeited by his sin; being poured out as water, that is, spilt and lost.
49:4. Thou art poured out as water, grow thou not; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, and didst defile his couch.
Grow thou not... This was not meant by way of a curse or imprecation; but by way of a prophecy foretelling that the tribe of Ruben should not inherit the pre-eminences usually annexed to the first birthright, viz., the double portion, the being prince or lord over the other brethren, and the priesthood: of which the double portion was given to Joseph, the princely office to Juda, and the priesthood to Levi.
49:5. Simeon and Levi brethren: vessels of iniquity waging war.
49:6. Let not my soul go into their counsel, nor my glory be in their assembly: because in their fury they slew a man, and in their selfwill they undermined a wall.
Slew a man,... viz., Sichem the son of Hemor, with all his people, Gen. 34.; mystically and prophetically it alludes to Christ, whom their posterity, viz., the priests and the scribes, put to death.
49:7. Cursed be their fury, because it was stubborn: and their wrath, because it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel.
49:8. Juda, thee shall thy brethren praise: thy hand shall be on the necks of thy enemies; the sons of thy father shall bow down to thee.
49:9. Juda is a lion's whelp: to the prey, my son, thou art gone up: resting thou hast couched as a lion, and as a lioness, who shall rouse him?
A lion's whelp, etc... This blessing of Juda foretelleth the strength of his tribe, the fertility of his inheritance; and principally that the sceptre and legislative power should not be utterly taken away from his race till about the time of the coming of Christ: as in effect it never was: which is a demonstration against the modern Jews, that the Messiah is long since come; for the sceptre has long since been utterly taken away from Juda.
49:10. The sceptre shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations.
49:11. Tying his foal to the vineyard, and his ass, O my son, to the vine. He shall wash his robe in wine, and his garment in the blood of the grape.
49:12. His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.
49:13. Zabulon shall dwell on the seashore, and in the road of ships, reaching as far as Sidon.
49:14. Issachar shall be a strong ass, lying down between the borders.
49:15. He saw rest that it was good: and the land that it was excellent: and he bowed his shoulder to carry, and became a servant under tribute.
49:16. Dan shall judge his people like another tribe in Israel.
Dan shall judge, etc... This was verified in Samson, who was of the tribe of Dan, and began to deliver Israel. Judges 13.5. But as this deliverance was but temporal and very imperfect, the holy patriarch (ver. 18) aspires after another kind of deliverer, saying: I will look for thy salvation, O Lord.
49:17. Let Dan be a snake in the way, a serpent in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, that his rider may fall backward.
49:18. I will look for thy salvation, O Lord.
49:19. Gad, being girded, shall fight before him: and he himself shall be girded backward.
Gad being girded, etc... It seems to allude to the tribe of Gad; when after they had received for their lot the land of Galaad, they marched in arms before the rest of the Israelites, to the conquest of the land of Chanaan: from whence they afterwards returned loaded with spoils. See Jos. 4. and 12.
49:20. Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings.
49:21. Nephthali, a hart let loose, and giving words of beauty.
49:22. Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold: the daughters run to and fro upon the wall;
Run to and fro, etc... To behold his beauty; whilst his envious brethren turned their darts against him, etc.
49:23. But they that held darts, provoked him, and quarrelled with him, and envied him.
49:24. His bow rested upon the strong, and the bands of his arms and his hands were loosed, by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob: thence he came forth a pastor, the stone of Israel.
His bow rested upon the strong, etc... That is, upon God, who was his strength: who also loosed his bands, and brought him out of prison to be the pastor, that is, the feeder and ruler of Egypt, and the stone, that is, the rock and support of Israel.
49:25. The God of thy father shall be thy helper, and the Almighty shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, with the blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
49:26. The blessings of thy father are strengthened with the blessings of his fathers: until the desire of the everlasting hills should come: may they be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the Nazarite among his brethren.
The blessings of thy father, etc... That is, thy father's blessings are made more prevalent and effectual in thy regard, by the additional strength they receive from his inheriting the blessings of his progenitors Abraham and Isaac. The desire of the everlasting hills, etc... These blessings all looked forward towards Christ, called the desire of the everlasting hills, as being longed for, as it were, by the whole creation. Mystically, the patriarchs and prophets are called the everlasting hills, by reason of the eminence of their wisdom and holiness. The Nazarite... This word signifies one separated; and agrees to Joseph, as being separated from, and more eminent than, his brethren. As the ancient Nazarites were so called from their being set aside for God, and vowed to him.
49:27. Benjamin a ravenous wolf, in the morning shall eat the prey, and in the evening shall divide the spoil.
49:28. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: these things their father spoke to them, and he blessed every one with their proper blessings.
49:29. And he charged them, saying: I am now going to be gathered to my people: bury me with my fathers in the double cave, which is in the field of Ephron the Hethite,
To be gathered to my people... That is, I am going to die, and so to follow my ancestors that are gone before me, and to join their company in another world.
49:30. Over against Mambre, in the land of Chanaan, which Abraham bought together with the field, of Ephron the Hethite, for a possession to bury in.
49:31. There they buried him, and Sara his wife: there was Isaac buried with Rebecca, his wife: there also Lia doth lie buried.
49:32. And when he had ended the commandments, wherewith he instructed his sons, he drew up his feet upon the bed, and died: and he was gathered to his people.
Genesis Chapter 50
The mourning for Jacob, and his interment. Joseph's kindness towards his brethren. His death.
50:1. And when Joseph saw this, he fell upon his father's face, weeping and kissing him.
50:2. And he commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father.
50:3. And while they were fulfilling his commands, there passed forty days: for this was the manner with bodies that were embalmed, and Egypt mourned for him seventy days.
50:4. And the time of the mourning being expired, Joseph spoke to the family of Pharao: If I have found favour in your sight, speak in the ears of Pharao:
50:5. For my father made me swear to him, saying: Behold I die; thou shalt bury me in my sepulchre which I have digged for myself in the land of Chanaan. So I will go up and bury my father, and return.
50:6. And Pharao said to him: Go up and bury thy father according as he made thee swear.
50:7. So he went up, and there went with him all the ancients of Pharao's house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt.
50:8. And the house of Joseph with his brethren, except their children, and their flocks and herds, which they left in the land of Gessen.
50:9. He had also in his train chariots and horsemen: and it was a great company.
50:10. And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is situated beyond the Jordan: where celebrating the exequies with a great and vehement lamentation, they spent full seven days.
50:11. And when the inhabitants of Chanaan saw this, they said: This is a great mourning to the Egyptians. And therefore the name of that place was called, The mourning of Egypt.
50:12. So the sons of Jacob did as he had commanded them.
50:13. And carrying him into the land of Chanaan, they buried him in the double cave, which Abraham had bought together with the field for a possession of a burying place, of Ehpron, the Hethite, over against Mambre.
50:14. And Joseph returned into Egypt with his brethren, and all that were in his company, after he had buried his father.
50:15. Now he being dead, his brethren were afraid, and talked one with another: Lest perhaps he should remember the wrong he suffered, and requite us all the evil that we did to him.
50:16. And they sent a message to him, saying: Thy father commanded us before he died,
50:17. That we should say thus much to thee from him: I beseech thee to forget the wickedness of thy brethren, and the sin and malice they practised against thee: we also pray thee, to forgive the servants of the God of thy father this wickedness. And when Joseph heard this, he wept.
50:18. And his brethren came to him; and worshipping prostrate on the ground, they said: We are thy servants.
50:19. And he answered them: Fear not: can we resist the will of God?
50:20. You thought evil against me: but God turned it into good, that he might exalt me, as at present you see, and might save many people.
50:21. Fear not: I will feed you and your children. And he comforted them, and spoke gently and mildly.
50:22. And he dwelt in Egypt with all his father's house; and lived a hundred and ten years. And he saw the children of Ephraim to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the sons of Manasses, were born on Joseph's knees.
50:23. After which he told his brethren: God will visit you after my death, and will make you go up out of this land, to the land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
50:24. And he made them swear to him, saying: God will visit you, carry my bones with you out of this place:
50:25. And he died, being a hundred and ten years old. And being embalmed, he was laid in a coffin in Egypt.